♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ go on. get away. get out of here. go on. wow. ♪ ♪

little boy alright. it plenty good thing we ride this way. thanks for scaring the lion away. are you an outlaw? my friend and i are on the side of law. this mask is a symbol of justice. you know these woods can be full of danger. are you here all alone? ah huh. i'm robby talbot, mom and i live just down the valley. i was looking for a christmas tree, that one there. i started to get it when the lion came. isn't there someone who can help you? only mom. i'm the man of the family. i know it's two weeks before christmas, but i thought i would get the tree decorated early. might cheer mom up a little. it's a fine tree. suppose we help you? that plenty big ax for little boy to handle. oh i can handle it alright. but i guess i wouldn't mind if you helped. mom sure gonna like this tree. i just got to make this the best christmas she ever had.

it sure looks easy when you do it. come on robby let's head for your ranch. ♪ ♪ let me show you. this is where pop did some of his work. i used to help on the smaller things. my pop's the best saddle maker in the whole west. i'm sure he is robby. maybe you've met him some place, huh? dan talbot? robby, please. he's been in about every mining town in the state. we never hear of him. he's gonna be home for christmas isn't he mom? perhaps robby. don't count on it. i guess that'll be about the best christmas present we can have. we wouldn't care if he never found any gold, as long as he came home. son, why don't you take care of our guests horses? i'm sure they could use some water and maybe some oats. sure mom. i got so busy talking about pop, i clean forgot my manners. be right back. sure son!

you're very proud of robby aren't you mrs. talbot? i am. if it weren't for robby, well there are times i don't think i could go on. you feel better when husband get back. well that's just it. i know ben won't be home for christmas. i think robby knows it too but he's just trying to cheer me up. has mr. talbot been gone long? six months. i have prayed he would give up this crazy search of his but its gone on too long. i'm sure he's afraid to return home a failure. him want gold that bad? oh i'm not blaming him, really. after all he's doing it for me and for robby. but it's become so important to him. i sometimes wonder if he's forgotten the things he left behind? gold fever does strange things to a man, mrs. talbot. do you hear from him at all? well the letters don't come very often. he moves from camp to camp ya know. he tries so hard to be cheerful but i know how it must be for him.

at this moment i have no idea where he is. has he given up his business completely? yes. ben's always had the idea that unless he was rich, robby and i wouldn't be happy. oh he's so wrong. all we ever wanted was to be together and to be a family. boy say him saddle maker? there are plenty need for men like him. i know. if only he would realize that we love him for himself. you know all robby dreams of is to be as good a saddle maker as his father. your horses are watered masked man and gosh that stallion of yours is really something. thanks robby. i think we better be on our way. mister, i have something for you. what is it? it's a leather watch case i made for...for pop's christmas present. i was going to surprise him but now...would you like to have it? i'd like it very much robby. thank you. and if you ever see my pop, would you tell him, please tell him that mom and i love him and we sure do miss him?

♪ ♪ thank you. ♪ what you think kimosabe? ben talbot has misguided sense of values. he's lost tonto, if he can't find himself, maybe somebody else ought to try. boy say if father come home it would be best christmas present he and mother ever had. we're going to try and make that wish come true. come on. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ you have any luck in gold river? ben talbot gone almost 2 months. him not have many friends. people say him always keep to himself. him have bad gold fever. could you find out where he went? them think maybe him go to town name of anderson. there new gold strike there. that's about 30 miles from here. what do you say to ben talbot when we see him? i don't know tonto, we've got to find him first. let's move out. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ this ghost town kimosabe? ghosts don't make music tonto. ♪ ♪holy night all is calm ♪all is bright, crown young virgin ♪ ♪and mother and child, holy infant ♪ ♪so tender and mild, sleep in ♪heavenly peace, sleep in ♪heavenly peace ♪ ♪shepherd's quake at the sight ♪glory stream from

♪heaven above, heavenly host ♪sing alleluia, christ the savior ♪ ♪is born, christ ♪the savior is born stand right where you are. please don't be frightened. we're not outlaws. why did you come here? we would like to ask you a few questions. we're looking for a man who used to live here. there ain't nobody left in anderson but martha and me. our name's hannah, like my husband says we're the only ones living here now. others all gone? they left when the gold ran out about a month ago. fools all of them. looking for something they ain't never gonna find. i agree with you mr. hannah, that's exactly why we're here. i'm sorry if we interrupted you. oh no, josh and me were just singing some christmas songs. it's kind of a regular habit with us at christmas time. why you not leave with others? because it's our home for one thing. we had a boy, he's buried on a

little hill outside the town. got killed by a miner that went crazy with the gold fever. josh and me are getting on in years, are needs are simple, we'll be happier here in anderson. it's kind of nice here. peaceful like, nobody fighting and yelling over gold. just martha and me and our boy. together at christmas like it used to be. you said you were looking for someone? a man named ben talbot, we understand he lived here in anderson a few months ago? yes remember josh? that quiet fellow that stayed down at the boarding house. oh yes i remember. seemed like a nice enough sort but there was always something kind of strange about him. like something was eating at his insides, driving him on. he was looking for gold like the others but somehow ben was different. well if he hadn't got mixed up with the stark brothers, well he might have turned out alright. stark brothers? they're a couple of real bad ones, always causing trouble.

i wouldn't put nothing past those two. had couple of robberies here in town. folks thought maybe the starks done it but they never could prove it. when they ran out, ben left town with the starks. you hear them say where them go? well, bear creek most likely. that's quite a ways mister, you aren't planning to ride tonight are you? we've got a whole town full of rooms here. well thank you mrs. hannah but i think we better be going. real anxious to find ben aren't ya? yes. we appreciate what you've told us. you've been very kind. good luck in your search mister and merry christmas to the both of you. same to you folks. merry christmas. go on martha play some more. play the one i used to like. ♪the angels did say, was to certain ♪ ♪poor shepherd's in fields as they lay. in fields ♪ ♪where they lay ♪

what did you find out tonto? bank in danville robbed by three men, two stark brothers were recognized. was the third man ben talbot? me not know kimosabe. posse already follow them. sheriff think them take direction of anderson but him lose trail. maybe we'll have better luck. trail of talbot take us to many town, you think maybe this time we find him? tonto i am sure of one thing, the man with the

stark brothers is ben talbot and we do find him, he won't be spending christmas at home. come on. ♪ ♪ looks like we lost the posse for good alright. better hold up in anderson for a day or so. they won't think to come and look for us there. look over there. if they're after us we'll fight 'em off in town. come on. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ we better get in there.

♪ ♪ what in tarnation is going on here? who are they? stark brothers, they robbed a bank in danville, we trailed them here. where is your wife mr. hannah? down by the old cafe, she's safe enough. is ben talbot with them? we not know. they've one other man. we've got to figure a way to get over there. hey, there is a back door to the hotel, it leads right into the lobby. tonto, keep me covered. i am going over there. ♪ the masked man is on this side of the street. i can't see him now. he ain't got a prayer getting in here. not against three guns.

♪ i don't like this george. it's too quiet out there. something's going on. if you're so worried, why don't you go out and take a look? it isn't necessary mister now drop your guns. ♪ look mister, you're wearing a mask. maybe we can make a deal? we're carrying a lot of gold in our saddle bags. i don't wear this mask to cover criminal acts. save your pleas for the judge. now outside. well dog gone if he did get 'em all. yep, them starks alright. hold it. tonto keep them covered. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ you come with us. him be alright. you sure done a bang up job getting these fellows. but it looks like your search for ben talbot ain't over. what do you mean? well that sure ain't him. are you positive? yep. that ain't him. i thought sure ben was riding with you no counts. he was pop but he ain't no more. well what happened? as soon as he found out we were planning a robbery he pulled out. told my brother first off he wouldn't be no use to us. where ben talbot now? still looking for gold i suppose. last we heard he

was in serell. a little gold town north of here. how long ago was that? last week. tonto you take these men to the sheriff in danville. you'll find the gold in their saddle bags. you go to serell with mask on? don't reckon i will sonny.

♪ ♪ it's like i said, he tried to jump my claim. ain't no man big enough to do that, i had to kill him. howdy gents. like to get a little information. what are you gonna pay? just looking for a fellow. thought you might know him. i don't doubt that old timer. but you still gotta pay. ain't gold, guess it will do though. what's the question? looking for a fellow named talbot, ben talbot. know where i might find him? might know just where he is too.

robbery. that's what it is...alright where will i find him? right over there. pounding that stake in front of his tent. you whimper snippers. always picking on an old timer. it just ain't justice that's all. hey ben talbot? yeah? like to talk to you a bit. look mister i am busy go talk to somebody else. ain't nobody else i want to talk to but you son. like i said i am busy. too busy to talk about the wife and robby. what do you know about them? has anything happened? nothing like that. just thought you would like to hear about the family. well sure! come and sit a spell. thank you. how come you happen to be at my place? oh, just passing through. horse got a little tired, wife and boy gave me some water. sure fine woman you got there, ben.

and that boy of yours he's something to be proud of. of course i don't have to tell you that, do i? are you sure they're alright? ain't sick. sure ain't got anything to dance about. what do you mean by that? well, don't get me wrong ben, i ain't trying to pry. but that family of yours sure lonesome. don't you think that's my business? sure it is. just thought you would like to hear from home. ain't having much luck finding gold are you? i'll strike it one of these days. when you do ben, think it will make you happier? i can give my family everything, all they've ever wanted. all they want us you ben. ever think of that? by the time you find what you're looking for, that boy of yours is gonna be all grown up. the best part of having kids is watching them grow, develop into something you can be proud of. too bad if you miss that. how come you're so interested in me? you're a prospector, you ought to know how it is. yep,

reckon i do. you ain't the first man to leave his family and go looking for gold. sometimes a fellow waits too long. gets too late to go back. ain't too late for you ben. you can still be home by christmas. yep. a failure. depends on what you call a failure ben. those men back there, fighting, killing, full of greed... when they do strike it rich they got to fight just as hard to keep it. is that what you want ben? you want your wife and boy to live that kind of a life? i thought about all of that. i have even tried going back. and i must admit the glitter of gold has become a bit tarnished by now. but how...how can i face them? i want them to be proud of me. they are proud of you ben, proud that you are a saddle maker. you know about that? sure do. your boy told me. oh plum near forgot. made this himself, for your christmas present. robby made this?

sure did. mighty proud of you ben, said he wanted to grow up to be just like you. it is a beautiful piece of work. quite a boy isn't he? imagine, him making this for me! still a couple of days left before christmas. ben, you could be home by christmas eve if you wanna? merry christmas! ♪ ♪ ♪ lunch is about ready robby. you want to wash up first? i'll get that wood in first mom. it will be kind of nice to have a fire on christmas eve. mom! mom! what is it son? look mom look!

he's coming home! pop! merry christmas son! merry christmas pop! merry christmas! merry christmas ben! i knew you would come home pop! i just knew it! and i am home to stay this time robby. and that's a promise to my family and to the lone ranger! ♪ ♪hi ho silver. away. ♪ ♪ ♪hi ho silver. away. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ lassie! ♪ starring june lockhart, hugh reilly, john provost as timmy, and, of course, lassie. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ let me help you with that.

there we are. have you written your letter to santa claus yet? uh huh. i sent it a couple of weeks ago. what did you ask for lassie? a c-o-l-l-a-r. oh, you know lassie doesn't like to wear... one of those things. i know, but i thought it'd be kinda nice to dress her up when we go special places. did you ask santa to bring you a new pair of flannel pants? dad, you don't ask santa for those kinds of things. you ask him for toys. well, maybe lassie feels the same way. yeah. i also asked him for a b-a-l-l. my cookies! ♪ mom! dad! it's the yochims!

hiya, billy! well i'll be darned. reckon you plum forgot about us, but we sure speak your name a-plenty. we've spoken about you, too. we wondered why we hadn't heard from you. writing just don't come easy to me. ain't it the truth, son? oh, my. - lassie! mom, dad, look! i show up and have a look-see at you. i guess lassie feels the same way about you, billy joe. come on now, pearlie mae, you sit down right here and tell us all about where you've been. where's your dad, billy joe? ♪

the lord seen fit to take pop from us. it's been the best part of a month now. - oh, pearlie mae, i am sorry. that darn city done filled pa's chest with cold and smoke. me and billy been a-grievin' powerful bad. i done figured it's pretty best if we go back with the kin folk. not tonight! it's christmas eve. can't you spend the night with us? - oh, that's a wonderful idea! it's right kind of you, but we done got our sleep trailer. it's best if we go down the road a piece. you'd make us awfully happy if you'd share this night with us. sure, and it'd give the boys a chance to talk. come on. billy joe can sleep with timmy, and we'd make up a nice bed for you. now it's folks like you that one just proud to to be a-livin'. we'll stay! good! go on, i want you to taste my fruit cake. billy joe, maybe santa claus can visit you and me together.

shucks, there's nothing i just done want. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ oh! ouch! dog gone it. got all kinked up. come on, timmy. i need to stretch a leg or two. - bye mom. bye dad. bye son. - be careful, dear. ok, mom. timmy and lassie done give my boy a lift. how's the fruit cake? and you better say it's good, too. mmm. just the right amount of spirits in it. -

good. ah, poor billy joe. first we lost his hound dog, mitchell, and then his pa. nobody can give the boy back what he done lost, but he sure needs something of his own to love, and i was wondering if lassie done had herself a litter of pups? oh, no. i know we promised billy joe one of lassie's pups; we'd hoped to have one before this. see, lassie just hasn't had a litter since mitchell was killed here last year. oh, it don't make no never mind then. the boy will wait. it's a shame. it would have made billy joe's christmas. isn't there something that we could do? i think the taylors' dog is expecting a litter. i'll just go check into that. like i said, the boy purely needs something of his own to love.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ timmy, that marker's about the prettiest marker i ever saw. mitchell'd be right proud. i'm glad you like it. lassie and i thought it looked kinda nice. thanks, girl.

mitchell - brave friend. killed in action, october, 1960. kinda makes you ache, right here. i guess it's a good kinda ache, though. mitchell sure would be surprised, me kneeling down here like this. ♪ i bet you right this minute mitchell's hunting possums somewhere up there in heaven. i wouldn't be a bit surprised. i calculate there weren't ever a dog like mitchell. he was smooth as glass. just always moved in and out of the trees like quicksilver. he was such a good dog. and he loved me most like i loved him. i remember the first day we met. you said mitchell was your best friend.

you said he was almost as pretty as lassie. ♪ ♪ ♪ well, mitchell. merry christmas. you know something, billy joe? maybe santa claus can't give you your dad back or mitchell, but honest, he'll have something for you. ♪ t'ain't right, you joking like that. you know he don't know where i am. lassie... where is she? there she is. there's something wrong. come on; let's go.back here. come on. ♪

golly! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ what is it, lassie? ♪ oh, thank heaven. boys, you got here in the nick of time. i'm near froze to death. hold on, mister. we'll get you out. timmy, you take this end; i'll take the other. ugh. ♪ hey, maybe if lassie helps.

wait a minute; i got an idea. come here, girl. ♪ we'll have you free here and sure shooting. ♪ hurry up, timmy! ♪ ♪ you go up there. ♪ ♪ alright, lassie! pull! ♪ we'll have you out of there in a jiffy, mister. oh!

are you alright? i'm... fine. just a little cold, that's all. can't recollect seeing a body in a spot like that. well it wasn't easy to do. thank you. boys, you've got quite a dog. i think so. she belongs to me. and i'm one of her best friends. ha ha. you know, you'd never believe how this happened. i was up on the rim there, just loading the sleigh, you see, and then -whoosh-, the snow bank just gave right away. i grabbed onto my sleigh and down we came together. well i'll be dogged. if'n that ain't a hairy tale. ha ha. who will ever believe i got run over by my own sleigh? and you know when it happened, i was just getting ready to hitch it up. ♪ hitch it up? - yeah, that's right. boys, how'd you like to come up and get a nice steaming cup of hot chocolate?

sure! come on, lassie. ♪ i got stiff under there.

should tell him exactly where ♪itbu is. don't know why i should do that. now look, this ain't no time to get butt-headed. well, it's over the next hill on the old road near the taylors' pla -

oh. and his father's name is paul martin. and his name is timmy martin. and i'm billy joe. billy joe. yochim. y-o-c-h-i-m. billy joe doesn't live around here. but my ma and me, we're planning on spending the night -- that's tonight -- at timmy's. well, thats' nice. - special nice. and tonight is christmas eve. - uh huh. have you been living here long? no, not very long. my work's about done now. i'll be moving on. reckon it'd be ok for me to... look around? well of course, son. make yourself at home. oh, this is a figure i'm working on, you see?

look at this clay. it comes from the hills around here. - what do you use it for? it's especially good for modeling. i'm a sculptor. ♪ billy joe, what's come over you? cut it out. uh uh uh... it's my jaw. it done gets nervous and falls out of place. well, are you sure it's alright now? i reckon it couldn't be better. ♪ ♪ timmy! ♪ i swear, if that ain't a spittin' image of mitchell...

i've never seen anything like it. mitchell was billy joe's hound dog. and he was also his best friend. oh? where's mitchell now? he was shot. oh, i'm sorry to hear that, son. i keep hoping that lassie will have a litter, so that i can give billy joe one of her pups. ♪ lassie? ♪ have you ever seen anything so beautiful, lassie? honest, it looks just like my mitchell. "beautiful." funny, i never thought about it that way. you know, i have many animal friends. i use them as models. golly, we gotta get home! i guess it is getting late. and it's christmas eve; there's a lot of work to be done.

you kids bundle up and i'll walk you part of the way home. ♪ ♪

♪ b i thank you both. and lassie, i thank you, too. i'd like to meet you again sometime, sir. yeah, i reckon real soon. i hope so. i gotta load those presents. they're for the ranger's children, and i don't want to disappoint them. goodbye and merry christmas. - merry christmas! ♪ ♪ merry christmas! - merry christmas! ♪ ♪

♪ no. no, i've been everywhere, and there's not a pup to be found - ohh. i'm sorry. now you stop a-fretting about it. if the lord shuts one door, he opens another. he gave my boy strength. mom! mom, dad! you'll never believe what happened! - what happened? what? well, lassie led billy and i to an overturned sled. and there was an old man pinned underneath it. where did this happen, timmy? - on top of the mountain and on the other side. oh, i'm glad you were able to help him. who was he? i didn't ask. there wasn't no point in asking. it was santa claus. ♪ oh dear lord. my boy's got fever of the brain. - aw shucks, mom. i reckon i couldn't be better.

♪ everything's gonna be fine, because santa claus knows exactly where i am. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ god bless mom, and dad, and all my friends and relatives. and lord, please do something nice for billy joe. thank you. and merry christmas, lord. alright, timmy. now into bed with you. christmas comes early in the morning. - i just can't wait, mom. i sure hope santa doesn't forget anybody. i'm sure he'll remember everybody. goodnight, dear. - night timmy. - night, dad. ♪ mom, dad?

do you think... could billy joe be right? ♪ night, boys. time to get to sleep, huh? - goodnight, billy joe. goodnight. ♪ ♪ ♪ boy, this sure is the life. night, billy joe. merry christmas. goodnight, timmy. merry christmas. ♪ ♪ @w! merry christmas! a new bike. i calculate that's the prettiest spread i ever done saw.

oh, thank you. santa claus sure didn't forget us. alright, everybody. open your presents. alright, what have we here? um... billy, this is for you from lassie, and she's very sorry that she didn't have a puppy for you. oh that don't make no never mind. timmy, here's something for you. i'll put it right in the basket there. and... here! pearlie mae, that's to you from all of us. merry christmas! oh, man! and... that's for you! oh, thanks! ♪ oh, and here's one for cully. let's take it by later. what in tarnation are we waiting for? ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ i knowed it, mom. it says billy joe. glory be. looks just like mitchell! ha ha. oh, look here, it says, "an extra gift for an extra fine boy." "merry christmas, timmy." thanks! thanks loads! and this says, "to lassie. you saved my day." here, lassie. ♪ ain't it the truth? about the lord opening another door? ma, i told ya that timmy and lassie and me saved santa claus! ruth... ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ it's just a blessed, merry christmas. merry christmas. merry christmas, son. merry christmas, billy joe. merry christmas, ma. and a merry christmas to you, too. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ lassie! starring june lockhart, ♪ hugh rielly, ♪ jon provost, as timmy, and ♪ of course, lassie. ♪ merry christmas! merry christmas! ♪ merry christmas! merry christmas! ♪ thank you. merry christmas. ♪ ♪ i don't know whether to get candy canes, or those ♪ twisted baskets. we'll see what else there is to choose from when we get there. ♪ gosh, i love christmas time.- merry christmas. merry